Jun 4 2008
Nova Biosource Fuels, Inc., a refiner and marketer of ASTM quality biodiesel, announced today that it has commissioned its second 20 million gallon per year train at its biodiesel refinery in Seneca, Illinois and has produced more than 3 million gallons of ASTM 6751 standard biodiesel fuel from both the first and second 20 million gallon per year trains.
"Our progress at the Seneca refinery continues to solidify our proven process technology that enables the use of high free fatty acid (FFA) feedstocks, which tend to cost less than feedstocks with lower FFA levels," said Kenneth T. Hern, Chairman and CEO of Nova. "Two of the three trains have operated at nameplate capacity and have exceeded our performance objectives for yield, throughput, and quality. The refinery has successfully demonstrated conversion of feedstocks with free fatty acid levels above 10 percent. To date, we've produced more than 3 million gallons, and we expect to begin starting up the refinery's final 20 MGY train in June. Our B100 quality continues to be excellent."
"We are commissioning the Seneca refinery one train at a time, spaced at 45 to 60 day intervals to smoothly integrate equipment shakedown, staff training, logistical support, markets and overall refinery operations while ramping up production at a methodical and structured pace," said Mr. Hern. "We could not be more pleased with the progress on the first two trains and are looking forward with great anticipation to the startup of the final one."
ConAgra Trade Group provides selling and outbound logistics services for Nova's Seneca and Clinton County facilities. "At both the Seneca and Clinton County refineries, Nova has consistently demonstrated that its biodiesel production exceeds all ASTM specifications by a considerable margin," said Eric Watts, ConAgra Trade Group's Director of Business Development. "Product quality and consistency continues to be of considerable concern to the industry, however Nova's Seneca and Clinton County refineries have exceeded all required ASTM specifications by a considerable margin while producing biodiesel from a wide variety of feedstock. We look forward to marketing increasing volumes of Nova's biodiesel as it completes the plant start-up."